Somalia Flag

Description

The Somalia flag is available from Flags Online in full-size and desk formats, printed on both sides and made to last outdoors.

About the Somalia Flag

A single white star on a plain light blue field makes the Somalia flag one of the simplest national flags in the world, and also one of the more quietly political, since the star was designed to represent more territory than the country’s borders actually cover. It has flown in this form since 1954, well before Somalia became independent.

Colours and Symbolism

The light blue field was chosen deliberately to echo the colours of the United Nations flag, a tribute to the UN’s role in overseeing the territory as a trust administered by Italy during the 1950s, ahead of full independence. Set in the centre is a white five-pointed star. Each point was originally intended to represent one of the five regions where ethnic Somalis lived: Italian Somaliland, British Somaliland, French Somaliland, the Ogaden region in Ethiopia, and the Northern Frontier District in Kenya. The idea behind the Somalia flag was to express the aspiration of a single Somali nation uniting people across these territories, even though only Italian and British Somaliland ultimately joined to form the republic.

History of the Somalia Flag

The flag was designed by Mohammed Awale Liban and adopted on 12 October 1954, while the territory was still administered as a UN trust under Italian oversight. It was retained as the national flag when Somalia became independent on 1 July 1960, following the union of the former Italian and British territories. Despite decades of political upheaval, including civil war and periods without a functioning central government, the Somalia flag has remained unchanged since its original adoption, one of the few consistent national symbols through a turbulent period in the country’s history.

Flying and Displaying the Flag

The Somalia flag is flown at government buildings and during national events such as Independence Day on 1 July and Foundation Day on 26 June, which marks the earlier independence of former British Somaliland. Because the design is so minimal, a single star centred on a plain field, there is little room for error when displaying it, though care should still be taken to keep the star centred and the flag hung the right way up. Its simplicity has also made the design easy to reproduce accurately at almost any size, which is one reason it has remained recognisable well beyond Somalia’s borders.

Somalia Flag Sizes and Pricing

• 180 x 120cm — R860
• 22 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R800
• 10 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R650
• 90 x 60cm — R400

Material and Construction

Made from 100% polyester bunting material and digitally printed on both sides. Hemmed all around with two rows of stitching and finished with a polyester webbing heading. Rope and toggle for hoisting included.

Supplied in packs of 10. Printed on both sides onto polyester and supplied with a black plastic stick and removable base — take the base off and it doubles as a hand waving flag.

Ordering and Delivery

Every Somalia flag is printed to order and dispatched from our Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Johannesburg branches, with courier delivery nationwide. Bulk and school orders are welcome — contact us for volume pricing on quantities of 10 or more.

Additional information